April 9, 2014 at 7:30 am

Back in February 2014 I headed up to Negombo to rent a scooter for a week and explore the eastern coast north of Negombo. Before shooting off, I did stay in the area for a day though, as I wanted to experience Sri Lanka’s second largest fish market as well as explore Pamunugama, a slither of land south of Negombo that runs between the Indian ocean on the west and a lagoon on the east.

A view of the bay next to Negombo’s fish market. Once the boasts have come back in from the fishing, there is still lots of work left to do. The fish must first all be gathered from the nets and sorted. They are then brought back out to sea in baskets and rinsed to remove any sand before being carried to the market to be sold or auctioned off.

Despite the first fishermen already coming in before sunrise, work goes on into the late morning by which temperatures in the sun are easily above 30 degrees celsius. Luckily workers sort out the fish under make-shift tents which provide a bit of shade.

Blue plastic barrels are typically used for storage.

Children playing football on Pamunugama while the sun sets and smoke from a nearby fire blows across the pitch.

Inside a Portuguese-style church being built on Pamunugama which is famous for its Catholic community.